CH 24

The Feudal Lord’s Residence

Leo and I arrived in the town of the Subhuman race, but the atmosphere was as bleak as ever.

Crime is rampant, and neither knights nor vigilantes were doing anything about it.

“Coming to this town, it is easy to see how wonderful Lady Kanade’s village is.”

“Indeed… Leo, do you know why I insist on protecting the oppressed?”

“Isn’t it to reduce the number of people like us?”

“Yes, it is. That’s one thing, but… I’m with Kanade on— “Let go of me, let go of me! My son is in that carriage!!”

It seems we didn’t have time to talk.

“That’s Feudal lord’s carriage! How can a child of a miser like you be riding in it!?”

“The Lord has kidnapped my son…!!”

Leo clenched his own hands at the words of the man who was captured by the Knights and lamenting.

As I recall, he said that Mimily was also kidnapped by a noble, had her tongue pulled out, and was almost sold into slavery.

“Leo, was it perhaps this Feudal lord that kidnapped Mimily?”

“Yes… He is a monster in the skin of a lord. They kidnap good-looking young children of the poor and enslave after removing their tongues so that they cannot seek help…”

“I see… it looks like we will have to deal with that Feudal lord first.”

“Lord Richmond?”

Leo, who was biting his lip in frustration, looked up at my words and looked at me with his eyes wide-open.

“Leo, will you help me?

“Of course!!”

Mhm. Good answer.

“Then let’s go after that carriage. I’ve enchanted you with body enhancement, stealth and muffling spells. Now, nobody can see us. Run as fast as you can.”

(What? My voice … Lord Richmond, what do you…)

(Don’t be tardy, Leo!!)

I ran fast enough to catch up with the carriage.

(Lord Richmond!!?)

(What are you doing! We are losing the carriage.)

I shouted at the stunned Leo (I don’t think he heard me because of the muffling magic), and I followed the carriage.

Leo caught up with me and nodded, perhaps reading my mouth movements.

(Don’t start running so fast all of a sudden.)

(Hm? However, we have to follow the carriage.)

(This carriage is going to the Feudal lord’s mansion, so we don’t have to chase it, do we!?)

(Oh, now that you say it!)

When I laughed, Leo looked at me, dumbfounded.

It is a habit of dragons to chase after those who run away. It can’t be helped. I said something appropriate to cover it up.

After running for a while, we arrived at the Feudal lord’s mansion.

The size of the mansion was bigger than ours, but the bathroom was probably not “Wooshlet” or whatever it’s called. The bathrooms weren’t automatic, either.

(Leo, first we have to find out where that man’s son is being taken.)

We waited for the man with the child to come out of the carriage, and then followed him and the child in his arms into the house.

(Looks like they are taking him into the basement…)

(Mhm.)

They went down the stairs leading to the basement and proceeded in the dim light.

Then,

(Prison bars…)

Leo muttered as he looked at one of the prisons spread out in the basement.

(Leo, there’s someone inside.)

(!?)

Inside the cell, several children were frozen and trembling.

(Something like this… how is something like this being allowed.)

“Nooo!! Don’t…”

Then we heard a scream, probably from the child, and we rushed toward it.

We then saw a horrifying sight of the man using some sort of device to pull out the child’s tongue.

(Let that child goooo!!!)

Before I could stop him, Leo punched the man, so I complained to him, telling him to proceed a little more calmly, and approached the child.

The child was frozen, startled by the man who suddenly got blown away, so I broke the spell between myself and Leo to show ourselves to him.

“W, who!?”

“You must be surprised…”

I glanced at Leo and left the explanation to him.

I’m sure the child would feel more comfortable with Leo, a Subhuman, than with me.

“… Do not worry. We are here to help.”